Wireline blowout preventer

ABSTRACT

A blowout preventer having a pair of preventer rams adapted to seal around a wireline in a well pipe, and having new and improved wireline guide means with each preventer ram which provides positive centering of the wireline as the rams move towards each other. Also, the guide means is strengthened as compared to the prior art and it eliminates inadvertent shearing of the wireline by the guide means as the rams move towards each other to the sealing position.

United States Patent Bishop et al.

[ WIRELINE BLOWOUT PREVENTER [72] Inventors: Thomas R. Bishop; Archie W.Peil,

both of Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Bowen Tools, Inc.

[22] Filed: Dec. 21, 1970 [211 App]. No.: 99,914

[52] US. Cl. ..277/73, 277/127, 277/199 [5 1] Int. Cl. ..B65d 53/00 [58]Field of Search ..277/l26, 127, 73, 32, 129,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS King ..277/73 [451 Sept. 19,1972 Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. AttorneyPravel, Wilson &Matthews [57] ABSTRACT A blowout preventer having a pair of preventerrams adapted to seal around a wireline in a well pipe, and having newand improved wireline guide means with each preventer ram which providespositive centering of the wireline as the rams move towards each other.Also, the guide means is strengthened as compared to the prior art andit eliminates inadvertent shearing of the wireline by the guide means asthe rams move towards each other to the sealing position.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field ofthis invention is blowout preventers having rams for sealing around awireline in a well pipe.

In the past, blowout preventers having rams for sealing off around awireline had an upper V-shapedguidemember on one of the rams and a lowerV-shaped guide member on the other of the rams A slot was provided ineach ram opposite each V-shaped guide member for receiving same when therams were in the sealing position around the wireline. The slotsweakened the ram bodies, and the co-action between the guide members andthe slots sometimes resulted in a shearing of the wireline.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a blowoutpreventer having preventer rams for sealing around a wireline, whereinnew and improved wireline guide means is provided for positively guidinga wireline into a centered position as the rams are moved towards eachother, and wherein such guide means is stronger than the prior art andis constructed so that it eliminates inadvertent shearing of a wirelineby such guide means as the rams move towards each other to the sealingposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly insection, illustrating the blowout preventer construction of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of one of the ram bodies and ram seals forthe blowout preventer of this inventron;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the ram bodies and a portion of theother ram body to illustrate the coaction therebetween in the guiding ofa wireline into sealing FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken online 5-5 of F 16. 4 to illustrate further details thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4 tofurther illustrate the construction details of the ram body and sealillustrated in FIG. 4. DESCRIP- TION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In thedrawings, the letter A designates generally the blowout preventer ofthis invention which includes a conventional blowout preventer body 10having cylindrical portions 10a and 10b therewith for receiving rams R-1and R-2. The blowout preventer body 10 has a longitudinal passage orbore 10c therethrough for the normal passage of a wireline and welltools, as well as well fluids and other fluids used in connection withthe well. The body 10 preferably has an upper flange l1 and a lowerflange 12 welded thereto for connection in a Christmas tree or otherwell head assembly in the known manner. The flanges 11 have longitudinalpassages or bores 11a and 120, respectively, which are in alignment withthe longitudinal passage 10c in the body 10 and which are also inalignment with the well pipe connected above and below the blowoutpreventer A by means of such flanges 11 and 12, as will be wellunderstood by those skilled in the art.

The rams R-1 and R-2 may be manually actuated or hydraulically actuated,but as illustrated in FIG. 1 of g the drawings, hydraulic actuatingmeans are provided, together with an emergency manual actuating means.Thus, the body 10 is formed with an operating cylinder 15 at each endthereof, each of which has a piston 16 therein and suitable hydraulicfluid lines 1.7 and 18. The piston 16 has a piston stem 16a with aconnector button 16b of conventional construction at its inward end forreleasable attachment to its respective ram Rl or R2. The rarns R1 andR-2 may thus be moved inwardly and outwardly by the action of hydraulicfluid on the pistons 16 and the cylinders 15, as willbe well understood.

In the event it is desired to move the rams by manual means rather thanthe hydraulic fluid means, manually actuated operating stems 20 areprovided which'are threaded intoan end cap 21 which is secured to thehydraulic cylinder 15. A handle 22 is preferably provided on each of thestems 20 for rotating the stems 20 to threadedly move them inwardly andoutwardly in coacting threads 21a on each end cap 21. The inward end ofeach stem 20 has a head 20a which engages the piston 16, but does notnormally move therewith. However, when the stem 20 is moved inwardly, ortowards the longitudinal opening 100, and the hydraulic fluid isrelieved inwardly of the piston 16, the piston 16 may be movedmechanically inwardly to thereby move the ram attached thereto inwardlytowards the central opening 100. After the stems 20 have been rotatedfor mechanical movement of the rams inwardly, the stems 20 canthereafter be moved outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 1, but sincethey are not directly connected to the piston 16, the pistons 16 do notmove therewith. Therefore, it is necessary to either move the pistons 16outwardly by the introduction of hydraulic fluid into the cylinder 15inwardly of the piston 16, or some other means must be provided to movethe rams to their retracted position shown in FIG. 1. Normally, ofcourse, the manually operated stems 20 are not actuated except to closethe rams in an emergency situation wherein the hydraulic system fails tofunction. It will be appreciated, however, that the hydraulic system canbe completely eliminated and the stems 20 can be directly connected tothe rams R1 and R2, in which event, the rams are moved mechanically inboth directions with respect to the central longitudinal opening 10c.

Considering now the details of the preferred form of the ram Rl as bestseen in FIGS. 2-6, such ram R-l has a ram body B-l, an outersubstantially semi-circular seal C-1, and an inner substantially flatseal 8-1.

The body B-l is formed with a semi-circular slot 30 having terminatingend recesses 31 which receive the outer seal C-l. The seal C-l is formed\of rubber or other similar sealing material and it has a central curvedportion 32 which fits within the slot or recess 30, and it also hasterminating end portions 33 which fit within the terminating endrecesses 31 of the slot 30 in the conventional manner.

The inner seal 8-1 is preferably formed with a central seal member 35formed of rubber or other suitable sealing material, with an upper metalplate 36 and a lower metal plate 37 confining the rubber 35therebetween. The rubber 35 has a substantially T- shape since its outerend 35a extends behind the plates 36 and 37 forsealing contact withsurface 38 of the body B-1 and the end portions 33 of the outer sealC-l. The upper plate 36 has a slot 36a formed therein (FIGS. 2 and forreceiving a pin 39 on theend of a retaining screw 39a which is threadedinto a suitable opening 40 in the body B-l.

The ram body B-l has an upper guide member 50 which is preferablyintegral with the rest of the body 13-1. A lower guide member 60 is alsoformed, preferably integrally, with the body B-1, and they are spacedapart from each other so as to form a lateral slot into which theramseal 8-1 is positioned. As previously explained, the ram seal 8-1 isremovably held in such slot between the upper guide member Y50 and thelower guide member 60 by retaining pin 30 having a threaded screw 39atherewith in the opening 40. It should also be noted that an additionalretaining pin 41 having a threaded screw 41a therewith may be threadedinto a threaded opening 42 in the body B-l (FIG. 5) for engagement in aslot 37a which corresponds with the slot 364 in shape, but it ispositioned off center as illustrated in FIG. 5. By unthreading the pins39 and 41 from the slots 36a and 37a, the entire ram seals 8- 1 may beremoved from the body B-l. The body 8-1 is formed of metal or otherrelatively high strength material, and since the guide members 50 and 60are preferably integral with the body B-l, they are formed ofthe samematerial. k

For maintaining the body 8-1 in proper alignment during movementsthereof inwardly and outwardly within the blowout preventer body 10, akey 70 which is preferably secured to the body 8-1 by a connection screw71 is utilized and it fits within a suitable slot 72 (FIG. 1) formed inthe body inwardly of the cylindrical portion 10a for the ram R-l. Asimilar slot (not shown) is formed in the cylindrical portion 10b forthe ram R2.

The upper guide member 50 has a guide surface 51 which preferably isformed with an increasing inclination or taper at its portion 51a in thevicinity of its central portion which has a recessor notch 52 formedtherein. The upper guide member 50 is cut away or is inclined in asubstantial continuation of the inclined guide surface 51 at surface 53so as to receive a corresponding inclined surface 151 on an upper guidemember 150 of the ram R-2, as will be more fully explained. It is to benoted that the recess or notch 52 extends outwardly or further from thecenter of the longitudinal bore 100 than does a semi-circular notch orrecess 44 which extends through the central portion of the ram seal S-l(FIGS. 2 and 3).

The lower guide member 60 is formed with an inclined guide surface 61which also has an increased inclination at the central portion 61a whichis in the vicinity of a notch or recess 62. The inclined surface of thelower guide member 60 continues on at substantially the same angle asindicated at the surface 63 to provide a cutaway portion for receivingthe inclined surface portion 161 of the lower guide member 160 of theram R-2, as will be more fully explained.

It should be noted that the angles of inclination of the surfaces 51 and61 of the upper guide member 50 and the lower guide member 60 of the ramR-l, respectively, are opposite to each other so that when viewed fromabove as in the plan view (FIG. 3) they form a substan- 4 tially V-shapewith the point of the V terminating at the vertical notch 44 in the sealS-l so as to serve as a guide means for guiding a wireline W (FIG. 3)which is extending through the blowout preventer A to such notch 44 forsealing engagement with the Seal 8-].

The ram R-2 is identical with the ram R -l and therefore, like partshave like designations in connection with both of the rams R-1 and R-2.However, the

upper guide member 150 is disposed in a complementary position to thatof the upper guide member 50. This makes it possible for the upper guidemembers 50 and 150 to be disposed in substantially the same plane and tointerfit with each other. Likewise, the lower guide member 160 of theram R- -2 is formed in a complementary position to that of the lowerguide member 60 of the ram R-l so as to lieinsubstantially the sameplane and so as to interfit with each other for the guiding action, aswill be explained. It should be noted that the upper guide member 150 ihas corresponding inclined surfaces 151 and 151a to the inclinedsurfaces 51 and 51a, but at opposite angles of inclination; Also, theupper guide member 50 has a notch 152 which together with the notch 52forms a pocket or enclosure surrounding the wireline W when the rams arein the closed sealing position with the ram seals S-l forboth of therams in contact with the wireline W. The upper guide member 150 also hasa cutaway portion formed by an inclined surface 153 which iscomplementary to the'upper guide member surface 51 to facilitate andpermit the interfitting between the guide members 50 and 150 in theclosed sealing position with the wireline W.

The lower guide member 160 has corresponding inclined surfaces 161 and161a which are at opposite angles to the inclined surfaces 61 and 61a.Also, the lower guide member 160 has a recess or notch 162 whichtogether with the notch'62 forms an enclosure for confining wireline Wwhen the rams R-l and-R-2 are in the closed sealing position with thewireline W. Also, the lower guide member 160 has a cutaway portiondefined by the inclined surface 163 to permit the interfitting betweenthe guide members 60 and 160 in the closed sealing position.

The opening formed in the ram R-1 and also similarly formed in the ramR-2 (not shown) are conventional in shape and are for releasablyengaging the piston button or head 16b connected to the piston rod 16ain the known manner.

In the operation or use of the blowout preventer apparatus A of thisinvention, the rams R-1 and R-2 are normally in the retracted or openposition illustrated in FIG. 1. When it is desired to close off thelongitudinal passage to prevent fluid flow therethrough, when a wirelineW is in such blowout preventer A, the rams R-1 and R-2 are moved towardseach other, utilizing the hydraulically actuated pistons 16, or themechanically actuated stems 20. Since the wireline W is not normallyexactly centered within the longitudinal opening 100, it must be guidedto a central position so that it ends up in the notches 44 of the ramseals 8-1 on the rams R-1 and R-2 in order to seal around the wireline Wand to completely seal off the opening 100 with the ram seals S-1 andthe outer seals C-l. Thus, regardless of the position of the wireline Wwithin the longitudinal opening 100 when it is desired to close off suchopening c, one of the surfaces 51, 61, 151, or 161 will engage thewireline W and will cause it to move inwardly towards the centralrecesses 44 in the ram seals 3-1. The greater inclination or taper ofthe inclined portions 51a, 61a, 151a and 161a is not necessary, but itdoes increase the speed at which the wireline W moves towards thecentral portion of the ram bodies and thus to the recesses 44 as therams R-1 and R-2 move towards each other for finally sealing around thewireline W.

Since the guide members 50, 60, 150 and 160 do not enter slots, there isno danger of shearing the wireline W by such guide members as they movetowards their closed position. The full mass of each guide member 50,60, 150 and 160 is obtained above and below the ram seals 8-1, and theintegral connection with the ram bodies B-1 and B-2 provide greaterstrength 'in such guide members than was heretofore obtained.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention areillustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size,shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

We claim:

1. A blowout preventer ram adapted to sealingly engage a wireline in awell pipe, comprising;

a first ram body;

an upper guide member on said first ram body;

a lower guide member on said first ram body below said upper guidemember and spaced therefrom to form a lateral slot therebetween whichhas an outer slot surface;

said body having a semi-circular slot in its upper portion only andterminating in end recesses which communicate with said lateral slot;

a resilient seal strip disposed in said semi-circular slot and said endrecesses;

an inner ram seal assembly disposed in said lateral slot and including aresilient central seal member having a substantially T-shape, and ametal backup plate above and below said seal member alongside the leg ofsaid T-shape;

the head of said T-shape being disposed in contact with said outersurface of said lateral slot and said seal strip at said end recesses;

the inner surface of said central seal member and said metal back-upplates being in the same plane;

means to secure said inner seal assembly in said lateral slot;

said upper guide member having an inclined surface for guidingengagement of said wireline towards contact with said ram seal;

said lower guide member having an inclined surface for guidingengagement of said wireline towards contact with said ram seal; and

said inclined surface of said upper and lower guide members being atopposite angles of inclination with respect to each other.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said blowout preventerram has a second ram body with a semi-circular slot in its upper portiononly and terminating in end recesses, and including:

an upper guide member on said second ram body having an inclined surfacefor guiding engagement with a wireline and adapted to interfit with saidupper guide member on said first ram body for guiding a wireline as therams are moved towards each other;

a lower guide member on said second ram body below said upper guidemember on said second ram body and spaced therefrom to form a lateralslot which has an outer slot surface, and said lower guide member alsohaving an inclined surface for guiding engagement with a wireline andadapted to interfit with said lower guide member on said first ram bodyfor guiding a wireline as the rams are moved towards each other;

said end recesses and said lateral slot in said second ram body being incommunication with each other;

a second resilient seal strip disposed in said semi-circular slot andsaid end recesses of said second ram body;

a second inner ram seal assembly disposed in said lateral slot of saidsecond ram body and including a central seal member having asubstantially T- shape, and a metal back-up plate above and below saidseal member alongside the leg of said T-shape; the head of said T-shapebeing disposed in contact with said outer surface of said lateral slotin said second ram body and said seal strip at said'end recesses; I

the inner surface of said central seal member and said metal back-upplates of said second sea] assembly being in the same plane; and

means to secure said second seal assembly in said lateral slot of saidsecond ram body.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said upper guide members'on said first and second ram bodies are insubstantially the same plane; and

said lower guide members on said first and second ram bodies are insubstantially the same plane.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said inclined surfaces on said upper guide members are at substantiallythe same angle of inclination; and

said inclined surfaces on said lower guide members are at substantiallythe same angle of inclination.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein:

each of inclined surfaces on said upper guide members has a notch whichis complementary to the notch on the other upper guide member and whichnotches are of a size to form an opening for a wireline to extendtherethrough when said ram seals are in sealing engagement with thewireline.

6. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein:

each of inclined surfaces on said lower guide members has a notch whichis complementary to the notch on the other lower guide member and whichnotches are of a size to form an opening for a wireline to extendtherethrough when said ram seals are in sealing engagement with thewireline.

7. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein:

each of inclined surfaces on said upper guide members has a notch whichis complementary to the notch on the other upper guide member and whichnotches are of a size to form an opening for a wireline to extendtherethrough when said central seal members are in sealing engagementwith the wireline; and

8. The structure set forth in claim 2,'wherein:' each of said inclinedsurfaces on said guide members has an increased taper in proximity tothe central portion thereof to facilitate the guiding action of awireline towards such central portion.

I I I l

1. A blowout preventer ram adapted to sealingly engage a wireline in awell pipe, comprising; a first ram body; an upper guiDe member on saidfirst ram body; a lower guide member on said first ram body below saidupper guide member and spaced therefrom to form a lateral slottherebetween which has an outer slot surface; said body having asemi-circular slot in its upper portion only and terminating in endrecesses which communicate with said lateral slot; a resilient sealstrip disposed in said semi-circular slot and said end recesses; aninner ram seal assembly disposed in said lateral slot and including aresilient central seal member having a substantially T-shape, and ametal back-up plate above and below said seal member alongside the legof said T-shape; the head of said T-shape being disposed in contact withsaid outer surface of said lateral slot and said seal strip at said endrecesses; the inner surface of said central seal member and said metalback-up plates being in the same plane; means to secure said inner sealassembly in said lateral slot; said upper guide member having aninclined surface for guiding engagement of said wireline towards contactwith said ram seal; said lower guide member having an inclined surfacefor guiding engagement of said wireline towards contact with said ramseal; and said inclined surface of said upper and lower guide membersbeing at opposite angles of inclination with respect to each other. 2.The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said blowout preventer ramhas a second ram body with a semi-circular slot in its upper portiononly and terminating in end recesses, and including: an upper guidemember on said second ram body having an inclined surface for guidingengagement with a wireline and adapted to interfit with said upper guidemember on said first ram body for guiding a wireline as the rams aremoved towards each other; a lower guide member on said second ram bodybelow said upper guide member on said second ram body and spacedtherefrom to form a lateral slot which has an outer slot surface, andsaid lower guide member also having an inclined surface for guidingengagement with a wireline and adapted to interfit with said lower guidemember on said first ram body for guiding a wireline as the rams aremoved towards each other; said end recesses and said lateral slot insaid second ram body being in communication with each other; a secondresilient seal strip disposed in said semi-circular slot and said endrecesses of said second ram body; a second inner ram seal assemblydisposed in said lateral slot of said second ram body and including acentral seal member having a substantially T-shape, and a metal back-upplate above and below said seal member alongside the leg of saidT-shape; the head of said T-shape being disposed in contact with saidouter surface of said lateral slot in said second ram body and said sealstrip at said end recesses; the inner surface of said central sealmember and said metal back-up plates of said second seal assembly beingin the same plane; and means to secure said second seal assembly in saidlateral slot of said second ram body.
 3. The structure set forth inclaim 2, wherein: said upper guide members on said first and second rambodies are in substantially the same plane; and said lower guide memberson said first and second ram bodies are in substantially the same plane.4. The structure set forth in claim 3, wherein: said inclined surfaceson said upper guide members are at substantially the same angle ofinclination; and said inclined surfaces on said lower guide members areat substantially the same angle of inclination.
 5. The structure setforth in claim 4, wherein: each of inclined surfaces on said upper guidemembers has a notch which is complementary to the notch on the otherupper guide member and which notches are of a size to form an openingfor a wireline to extend therethrough when said ram seals are in sealingengagement with the wireline.
 6. The structure set forth In claim 4,wherein: each of inclined surfaces on said lower guide members has anotch which is complementary to the notch on the other lower guidemember and which notches are of a size to form an opening for a wirelineto extend therethrough when said ram seals are in sealing engagementwith the wireline.
 7. The structure set forth in claim 4, wherein: eachof inclined surfaces on said upper guide members has a notch which iscomplementary to the notch on the other upper guide member and whichnotches are of a size to form an opening for a wireline to extendtherethrough when said central seal members are in sealing engagementwith the wireline; and each of inclined surfaces on said lower guidemembers has a notch which is complementary to the notch on the otherlower guide member and which notches are of a size to form an openingfor a wireline to extend therethrough when said central seal members arein sealing engagement with the wireline.
 8. The structure set forth inclaim 2, wherein: each of said inclined surfaces on said guide membershas an increased taper in proximity to the central portion thereof tofacilitate the guiding action of a wireline towards such centralportion.